Review
Neurosciences
William G. Warren, Eleni P. Papagianni, Carl W. Stevenson, Christine Stubbendorff
Summary: Studies have shown that endocannabinoid and noradrenergic systems play crucial roles in fear memory processing and PTSD, and their potential interactions in fear extinction have implications for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and its treatment. The co-activation of cannabinoid and noradrenergic receptors in brain areas crucial for fear extinction enhances the process, suggesting a synergistic role for these systems in regulating fear extinction and potentially modulating fear memory encoding and retrieval.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Raoni Conceicao dos-Santos, Brook L. W. Sweeten, Claire E. Stelly, Jeffrey G. Tasker
Summary: Stress has effects on the nervous system at different signaling levels and time scales. Glucocorticoids, the main effectors of stress plasticity, act on multiple receptor subtypes in different cellular compartments, leading to changes in synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. This review focuses on the rapid actions of acute stress-induced glucocorticoids in modulating synaptic and intrinsic neuronal properties. The stress-related brain structures, such as the hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, exhibit synaptic plasticity in response to single or short-term stress exposure.
Article
Neurosciences
Adrienne C. Loewke, Adelaide R. Minerva, Alexandra B. Nelson, Anatol C. Kreitzer, Lisa A. Gunaydin
Summary: The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) plays a key role in controlling defensive behavior through specific top-down projections. The dmPFC-amygdala projection is involved in reflexive fear behavior, while the dmPFC-striatum projection regulates anxious avoidance behavior. These findings provide important insights into the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Qi Zhang, Shun-Heng Gao, Zhong-Shan Shen, Yun Wang, Su-Wan Hu, Guang-Bing Duan, Ye Liu, Dan-Ya Zhong, Jing Liu, Meng-Han Sun, Xin Zhang, Tian-Yu Cao, Jun-Li Cao, Qiong-Yao Tang, Zhe Zhang
Summary: Anxiety disorders are mental disorders characterized by anxiety and fear, and their molecular basis is still unclear. The study reveals the role of Slack channels in controlling anxious behaviors by decreasing the excitability of BLA-vHPC glutamatergic projections. This provides a potential target for anxiolytic therapies.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naserddine Hamadi, Omur Gulsum Deniz, Ahlam Said Abi Issa, Azim Ullah Shamsul Islam, Naheed Amir, Saeed Tariq Minhas, Nather Madjid, Fatima Khelifi-Touhami, Suleyman Kaplan, Abdu Adem
Summary: The development of animal models to study cell death in the brain is a delicate task. One of the models, that was discovered in the late eighties, is the induction of neurodegeneration through glucocorticoid withdrawal by adrenalectomy in albino rats. In this study, the impact of short-term adrenalectomy on hippocampal neuronal populations in Wistar rats was investigated using stereological technique and ultrastructural examination. The levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and beta-nerve growth factor (beta-NGF) were measured to understand the underlying mechanisms of degeneration in these neurons. The cognitive behavior of Wistar rats after short-term adrenalectomy was also examined.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Michelle VanTieghem, Marta Korom, Jessica Flannery, Tricia Choy, Christina Caldera, Kathryn L. Humphreys, Laurel Gabard-Durnam, Bonnie Goff, Dylan G. Gee, Eva H. Telzer, Mor Shapiro, Jennifer Y. Louie, Dominic S. Fareri, Niall Bolger, Nim Tottenham
Summary: The study found that adolescents who experienced early institutional care showed a developmental shift in morning cortisol levels, with lower levels in childhood and higher levels in late adolescence. They also had reduced hippocampal volume and decreased growth rate of the amygdala, leading to smaller volumes in adolescence. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes were prospectively associated with future morning cortisol levels in both groups.
DEVELOPMENTAL COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Elizabeth E. Manning, Laura A. Bradfield, Mihaela D. Iordanova
Summary: In complex environments, organisms need to adapt their responses to conflicting information. Behavioral procedures like extinction, reversal learning, and active avoidance all rely on overlapping neural circuits to help organisms respond appropriately under conflict.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Rawan AlSubaie, Ryan W. S. Wee, Anne Ritoux, Karyna Mishchanchuk, Jessica Passlack, Daniel Regester, Andrew F. MacAskill
Summary: Projections from the basal amygdala to the ventral hippocampus provide information about rewarding or threatening stimuli to support appropriate behavior. These projections consist of both excitatory and inhibitory inputs that control the activity of downstream neurons, ultimately affecting goal-directed behavior.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yuko Hakamata, Shinya Mizukami, Shuhei Izawa, Hisayoshi Okamura, Kengo Mihara, Hilary Marusak, Yoshiya Moriguchi, Hiroaki Hori, Takashi Hanakawa, Yusuke Inoue, Hirokuni Tagaya
Summary: Research suggests that anxiety and depression are related to memory biases, with anxiety facilitating an initial focus on negative information and implicit memory bias being influenced by anxiety. The neural connectivity and hormone interaction may serve as important targets in the treatment of comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hanna Vila-Merkle, Alicia Gonzalez-Martinez, Rut Campos-Jimenez, Joana Martinez-Ricos, Vicent Teruel-Marti, Arantxa Blasco-Serra, Ana Lloret, Pau Celada, Ana Cervera-Ferri
Summary: The study investigated the neural oscillations in an anxiety model and the therapeutic effects of infralimbic deep brain stimulation in mood disorders. It was found that the anxiogenic drug altered the oscillatory profile in the neural network, while deep brain stimulation could reverse these effects.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Xuejun Jiang, Feng Wu, Yifan Zhang, Huizi Li, Jiahui Kang, Lingtao Kong, Fei Wang, Yanqing Tang
Summary: This study investigated the association between brain function and gender in bipolar disorder using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF). The results indicated gender differences in dysfunction of the cortico-limbic neural system in BD. Male and female patients with BD showed different patterns of ALFF in various brain regions.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bettina Reka Laszlo, Erika Kertes, Tamas Ollmann, Laszlo Peczely, Anita Kovacs, Zoltan Karadi, Laszlo Lenard, Kristof Laszlo
Summary: The neurotransmitter and neuromodulator neurotensin (NT) has been found to facilitate spatial learning and memory through the activation of DA D2 receptors in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA).
Review
Neurosciences
Veronica Pastor, Jorge H. Medina
Summary: Information storage in the brain involves different memory types and stages, and cholinergic pathways through acetylcholine receptors play an active role in memory modulation. The alpha 7 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors has been studied in relation to memory processing, but there is still limited information available. This review aims to identify the brain regions where alpha 7 nicotinic receptors are essential for different memory types and stages, and discuss their potential as pharmacological targets for memory impairment in neurological disorders.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Christine Stubbendorff, Carl W. Stevenson
Summary: Research has shown that dopamine plays a crucial role in regulating various contextual fear processes, although the related neurochemical mechanisms are still not fully understood. Understanding how dopamine regulates contextual fear can provide novel insights into the neurochemical modulation of neural circuit function underlying memory processing.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Melissa T. Goulart, Cristiane Busnardo, Ivaldo J. A. Belem-Filho, Ricardo Benini, Aline Fassini, Carlos C. Crestani, Ana C. Godoy, Fernando M. A. Correa, Fernando H. F. Alves
Summary: The involvement of glutamatergic neurotransmission within the insular cortex (IC) in cardiovascular, autonomic, and neuroendocrine responses to restraint stress was investigated in this study. The researchers found that the antagonism of NMDA receptors in the IC enhanced the cardiovascular responses to stress, while the blockade of non-NMDA receptors did not affect these responses. Additionally, the study showed that IC glutamatergic neurotransmission, acting via local NMDA receptors, plays a prominent role in the control of autonomic and cardiovascular responses to restraint stress, but without affecting neuroendocrine adjustments.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Sarmistha Saha, Brigitta Buttari, Elisabetta Profumo, Paolo Tucci, Luciano Saso
Summary: Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, leading to protein aggregation and neuronal damage. Current drug treatments have failed, so alternative therapeutic strategies are needed. Research has shown the potential of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, making it a promising new approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Maria Grazia Morgese, Maria Bove, Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli, Stefania Schiavone, Anna Laura Colia, Stefania Dimonte, Emanuela Mhillaj, Vladyslav Sikora, Paolo Tucci, Carla Ghelardini, Luigia Trabace
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder with ongoing efforts to find a cure. Research has shown that an animal model mimicking comorbid conditions typical of early phase AD has been established.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Maria Bove, Adriano Lama, Stefania Schiavone, Claudio Pirozzi, Paolo Tucci, Vladyslav Sikora, Giovanna Trinchese, Gaetano Corso, Maria Grazia Morgese, Luigia Trabace
Summary: Social isolation-induced insulin resistance and oxidative stress may contribute to disturbances in glucose homeostasis and metabolic impairment.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Claudia M. Deus, Jose Teixeira, Nuno Raimundo, Paolo Tucci, Fernanda Borges, Luciano Saso, Paulo J. Oliveira
Summary: Parkinson's disease is an incurable neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by dopaminergic cell neurodegeneration. Oxidative stress, especially mitochondrial dysfunction, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Modulating oxidative stress, particularly using dietary mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, may be a promising approach to prevent or treat Parkinson's disease.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Virology
Luigia Trabace, Lorenzo Pace, Maria Grazia Morgese, Isabel Bianca Santo, Domenico Galante, Stefania Schiavone, Dora Cipolletta, Anna Maria Rosa, Pierluigi Reveglia, Antonio Parisi, Paolo Tucci, Giovanni Pepe, Rodolfo Sacco, Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro, Gaetano Corso, Antonio Fasanella
Summary: The Delta variant has raised concerns about its ability to evade SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. This study evaluated the neutralizing response of 172 Italian healthcare workers three months after receiving the Comirnaty vaccine. The results showed that the vaccine provides sustained neutralizing antibody activity against the Alpha variant, but it is less effective against the Gamma and even less against the Delta variants.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sibel Suzen, Paolo Tucci, Elisabetta Profumo, Brigitta Buttari, Luciano Saso
Summary: Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by high levels of oxidative stress biomarkers and low levels of antioxidant protection; Dysregulation of the oxidant/antioxidant balance is a major factor in the pathogenesis of these diseases; Nrf2 plays a protective and defending role against neurodegenerative conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Paolo Tucci, Maria Bove, Vladyslav Sikora, Stefania Dimonte, Maria Grazia Morgese, Stefania Schiavone, Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli, Carla Ghelardini, Luigia Trabace
Summary: The natural compound Glucoraphanin (GRA) has shown beneficial effects in chronic diseases and central nervous system disorders, including antidepressant activity in preclinical models. In this study, the researchers investigated the effect of GRA in rats treated with amyloid-beta 1-42 and found that GRA administration reduced depressive-like behavior and restored neurochemical and biochemical imbalances associated with depression. This suggests that GRA could be a safe and natural candidate for the treatment of depression.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Stefania Dimonte, Vladyslav Sikora, Maria Bove, Maria Grazia Morgese, Paolo Tucci, Stefania Schiavone, Luigia Trabace
Summary: It was found that socially isolated rats exhibited anxiety-like behavior in behavioral tests, accompanied by neurochemical and neuroendocrine dysfunctions, such as reduced levels of oxytocin, prolactin, ghrelin, and melatonin in the blood, as well as decreased levels of noradrenaline, serotonin, and GABA in the amygdala. These findings provide new insights into the neurobiological alterations underlying the comorbidity between psychosis and anxiety.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pietro Marini, Philip Cowie, Ahmet Ayar, Guy S. S. Bewick, John Barrow, Roger G. G. Pertwee, Alasdair MacKenzie, Paolo Tucci
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated the mechanism of CB1/M-3 receptor cross-talk using SH-SY5Y cells as a model system. They found that M-3 receptor activation upregulates the CNR1 gene, leading to a more potent CB1 receptor response. Calcium homeostasis plays a crucial role in this cross-talk. The co-expression of M-3 and CB1 receptors in specific brain areas suggests their involvement in altered synaptic plasticity after exposure to cannabinoids, and highlights the potential of targeting the M-3 receptor in drug development and understanding response variation to cannabinoids.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fariba Ahmadizar, Nicoletta Luxi, Monika Raethke, Sandor Schmikli, Fabio Riefolo, Putri Widi Saraswati, Camelia Bucsa, Alhadi Osman, Megan Liddiard, Francisco Batel Maques, Giuliana Petrelli, Simona Sonderlichova, Nicolas Thurin, Felipe Villalobos, Gianluca Trifiro, Miriam Sturkenboom
Summary: This study aimed to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and found that common adverse reactions were common but serious adverse reactions were uncommon. The frequency of adverse reactions was slightly lower compared to pivotal clinical trials. The results suggest that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children and adolescents.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paolo Tucci, Iain Brown, Guy S. S. Bewick, Roger G. G. Pertwee, Pietro Marini
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melford C. Egbujor, Paolo Tucci, Ugomma C. Onyeije, Chigbundu N. Emeruwa, Luciano Saso
Summary: A wide range of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds have been used in clinical practice, with a major presence in FDA-approved drugs. These compounds have shown significant activation of the NRF2/ARE signaling pathway and upregulation of NRF2-dependent genes, highlighting their importance in studying the pharmacological effects of N-based heterocyclic moieties. Nitrogen heterocycles also exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, making them of great interest for research in neuroinflammation and oxidative stress-mediated diseases. A comprehensive review on the NRF2-inducing activities of N-based heterocycles and their derivatives will provide valuable insights for therapeutic prospects and stimulate innovative research in this field.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Maria Bove, Stefania Schiavone, Paolo Tucci, Lisa Pia Agosti, Stefania Dimonte, Maria Adelaide Palmieri, Vladyslav Sikora, Maria Matteo, Luigia Trabace, Maria Grazia Morgese
Summary: Low intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) during adolescence is associated with increased risk of depressive-like symptoms in both males and females. In this study, we found that adolescent rats fed with a low n-3 PUFA diet showed anxiety-like behavior, but immune activation was different between males and females.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
